In a similar fashion to how Eminem united with six Detroiters to celebrate Detroit on 2014’s “Detroit vs. Everybody,” Big Sean goes further on “Friday Night Cypher” and brings together fourteen Detroit natives—eleven rappers and three producers. Part of the song is also produced by Detroit 2’s executive producer Hit-Boy, who is the only artist on this song who doesn’t hail from Detroit.
In rap, a “cypher” refers to a gathering of rappers, usually taking turns freestyling. “Friday Night Cypher” runs through seven beat switches and brings together rappers with very different styles over a nearly ten-minute run-time. It is notable for uniting individuals who have previously had disagreements, notably Eminem, Royce and Tee Grizzley, which Big Sean addressed in an interview with Vulture:
It’s definitely a moment on the album where the city comes together, even people who are rumored to have misunderstandings and beef.